[Kitechaser]

Well I didn’t get to sleep yet thanks to the R6 Pro



First I never said R6 Pro is better than 1Z, and I prefer not to think in terms of black and white and absolutes. I wrote that the 1Z still has the edge on layering and soundstage, but clarity and transparency sorry the R6 Pro does have the edge. They are tuned differently as well. Many swear by the SP1000 but for all its qualities I don’t like its tuning it doesn’t work for me and my IEMs/headphones (yes, there is that too, synergy !). Haven’t heard LPGT or N8 and would be curious to.

Second, I know we tend to be biased by prices but I know what I am hearing and I fell into the trap of the only way is up and I can tell, past a certain point it’s definitely not necessarily the path. Trust your ears and know your tastes.

A bit of context... the path I was on when getting the R6 Pro and selling 1Z is stacking. It didn’t make sense to me to keep 1Z as a transport for the Micro BL or stacked with ALO CV5. An amp will give you headroom and dynamics a DAP will struggle providing, especially 1Z. I loved the ZX2 but in the end I sold it as it lacked power. The reasoning was R6 Pro should be good enough on the go for non critical listening, and would be great transport with fast UI, great screen and a great source for LO since it’s neutrally tuned.

I never expected the R6 Pro to be that good on its own. The amp section is probably a big reason why, as well as a mature and refined tuning that regardless of price, like @Hawaiibadboy I feel is one of the best. As he said, blind test between R6 Pro and TOTL DAPs and you might be surprised. There is something to be said about keeping an open mind. The market might go nuts and prices soar but we loose perspective.

I have gone up and up, VE8, LCD i4, KSE1500 but I would pick the lesser priced Solaris and FW10000 over those (in fact I sold all of those except VE8 which is a CIEM). Price is not everything.

If I could afford to keep 1Z on top of the other things I own I would, Sony has built an exceptional device with exceptional battery life and been smart enough to update its firmware to keep it in the game with BT receiver to be able to listen to streaming platform indirectly. It has a unique sound, but others can build great DAP as well and not only 3/4K DAPs

There is room for android powered, open system and connected DAPs. I loved Sony ZX2 for that reason it was best in class back then. The R6 Pro is a welcome addition to the likes of DX150, DX200, X7 II.

Synergy with the FW10000 is better with R6 Pro, that’s my opinion because it smoothens out the sibilance and harshness issues I have encountered.



Yeah I wish as well, since this cable is great I love it. Right now I use single ended.

I have tried the Hansound Zen 8 wires with the FW10000, balanced 4.4.
It’s nice but not the best synergy.

I am looking at ALO Gold 16 wires (gold plated copper)... I’d love to jump for a PW 1960 4 wires as I think it would match the FW10000 perfectly as some reported. This cable is the most impressive I have ever listened to (tried it on the VE8 and Phantom). But the price is insane...

@SciOC

 

[SciOC]

Endgame means I'll use it till it dies on me
I am also building an electrostat Floor speaker system, to save my ears,
The CL2 are stuck there like glue, too much iem use honestly, not healthy for my hearing.
The WM1A is good enough for me that I won't be peeking over my shoulder thinking someone else has something better.
I tried the Solaris too, again peeking over my shoulder, and I am very happy with where I am in the audio game

I am running the Cl2 at 90/120 on the ZX300 (low gain). I am sure the R6 Pro has more power than the older version. I read Davidmolliere's impressions on them, he sold his WM1Z after using the R6 Pro. He was pretty impressed. And he specifically mentioned the power increase.

Yep

@SciOC this is David's take on the R6 pro.

Been watching his thoughts too in on that thread. That guy lives to be the first....

 

[Kitechaser]

Yep

Been watching his thoughts too in on that thread. That guy lives to be the first....

Lol I know. He moves at the speed of light. But his impressions are usually spot on.
He prefers BA's more than I do, but he has a good ear.

 

[SciOC]

@SciOC

Yeah, really surprised me but without a doubt the hiby r6 had more detail than the cowon plenue 2....

Just like with the CL2, it's really hard to take a step back on detail once you've heard it....

 

[Kitechaser]

Yeah, really surprised me but without a doubt the hiby r6 had more detail than the cowon plenue 2....

Just like with the CL2, it's really hard to take a step back on detail once you've heard it....

For me it's impossible. I cannot unhear what I am hearing on the CL2. Ruins other iems for me, honestly.
I think the Hiby R6 pro will have good synergy with the CL2, just like the WM1A.
You won't go wrong with either one of them, but lesser daps will be no good from here on out.
That's part of the reason I wanna put together the electrostat speaker system, It might sound crazy to the people that haven't heard the CL2, but I want the same clarity and details, the true to life presentation on a larger scale, and it's going to be hard to do that with systems lower on the totem pole.

 

[wenbinbin2010]

Lots of talk of DAPs with the CL2, but I've been enjoying them a ton with just a Radsone ES100 Bluetooth amp and its balanced out! I recently switched from a Samsung Galaxy to a Google Pixel 3 XL and lost both the global EQ and the headphone jack (go figure...), but the ES100 has been a lifesaver. Love the ability of the ES100 to function as a DAC/amp for any computer by just hooking it up via USB. Bypasses my terrible laptop headphone jack.

 

[cj3209]

Yeah, really surprised me but without a doubt the hiby r6 had more detail than the cowon plenue 2.... Just like with the CL2, it's really hard to take a step back on detail once you've heard it....

Detail isn't the most important thing for me; I learned that lesson with the Hugo2. It's the overall sound that I like that sways me.

There is also some merit to your brain getting used to the sound of your gear. For instance, I like my CL2s more now than I did from the start and its taking most of my listening time, even from my i4s which I thought was the pinnacle of inner ear sound and design. The CL2s just dont sound like a usual iem to me anymore...

 

[SciOC]

Detail isn't the most important thing for me; I learned that lesson with the Hugo2. It's the overall sound that I like that sways me.

There is also some merit to your brain getting used to the sound of your gear. For instance, I like my CL2s more now than I did from the start and its taking most of my listening time, even from my i4s which I thought was the pinnacle of inner ear sound and design. The CL2s just dont sound like a usual iem to me anymore...

Yeah, for sure, I was really enjoying the cowon, then I decided to do more AB testing with it and the R6. Totally ruined it for me.

I would have been happy not doing that.... But then again, it gives me $800 back to spend on another DAP and makes it likely I'll at least make it into February before spending this year's audio budget.

 

[cj3209]

Yeah, for sure, I was really enjoying the cowon, then I decided to do more AB testing with it and the R6. Totally ruined it for me.

I would have been happy not doing that.... But then again, it gives me $800 back to spend on another DAP and makes it likely I'll at least make it into February before spending this year's audio budget.

LOL...this is a crazy hobby...but the pleasure that one gets from listening to a great-sounding track that elicits emotions is priceless - life is short.

Back to the music...

 

[Kitechaser]

Yeah, for sure, I was really enjoying the cowon, then I decided to do more AB testing with it and the R6. Totally ruined it for me.

I would have been happy not doing that.... But then again, it gives me $800 back to spend on another DAP and makes it likely I'll at least make it into February before spending this year's audio budget.

I know exactly how you feel.
I was happy with the ZX300 till I auditioned the WM1A. Now I have to get it.
Hope you find your preferred signature.

Add: Don't even go near a Sony TA-ZH1ES with a CL2, it'll ruin you

 

[Duncan]

Detail isn't the most important thing for me; I learned that lesson with the Hugo2. It's the overall sound that I like that sways me.

There is also some merit to your brain getting used to the sound of your gear. For instance, I like my CL2s more now than I did from the start and its taking most of my listening time, even from my i4s which I thought was the pinnacle of inner ear sound and design. The CL2s just dont sound like a usual iem to me anymore...

This needs to be stapled to every box that an audio item is shipped in...

Different people have different priorities, I get that, however looking at myself, I chased the detail dragon (Layla’s) - but there is very little musical reward there - tonality is far more important to enjoyment (unless you work in a studio or some such)

 

[bye2]

How about if you have TA-ZH1ES and Hugo 2 with the CL2?

Well... life is full of joy

 

[SciOC]

This needs to be stapled to every box that an audio item is shipped in...

Different people have different priorities, I get that, however looking at myself, I chased the detail dragon (Layla’s) - but there is very little musical reward there - tonality is far more important to enjoyment (unless you work in a studio or some such)

I Chase the detail dragon because I can usually take care of tuning issues through EQ/DSP.

This is true with the CL2, I do EQ it, but actually less so than most pairs I own. Basically, for me, a big no-no is bad EQ ability on the DAP or IEM side. Even if something was tuned perfectly for me out of the box, I still like to tinker, so it's hard for me to accept something like the EQ that was adding noticeable distortion on the shanling m5s.

 

[Kitechaser]

I think Duncan is referring the things that the CL2 is doing that no amount of EQ on other sets can get you.
There is a sense of realism in the tonality of this set that I have yet to hear anywhere else. Right now I am listening to an album "Circle of Drums" DSD. Its African folk music, and punch me silly, but it sounds like I am there in a circle of people playing the drums.
It doesn't sound like an iem. No amount of EQ will get you that realism, and strangely, also the musicality that goes along with it. (The electrostats have zero musicality in comparison)
How @RHA Team managed to do this is still beyond me.
The tuning also accentuates the spatial depth that gives that illusion of space. No matter where you stand on the tuning, its Pretty impressive for a single driver iem.

 

[SciOC]

I think Duncan is referring the things that the CL2 is doing that no amount of EQ on other sets can get you.
There is a sense of realism in the tonality of this set that I have yet to hear anywhere else. Right now I am listening to an album "Circle of Drums" DSD. Its African folk music, and punch me silly, but it sounds like I am there in a circle of people playing the drums.
It doesn't sound like an iem. No amount of EQ will get you that realism, and strangely, also the musicality that goes along with it. (The electrostats have zero musicality in comparison)
How @RHA Team managed to do this is still beyond me.
The tuning also accentuates the spatial depth that gives that illusion of space. No matter where you stand on the tuning, its Pretty impressive for a single driver iem.

Right. I'm just saying stock tuning isn't that important to me assuming things EQs well. Those basic qualities (attack/decay/timbre/ability to stage and separate instruments) are much more important.

Way to many reviews of DAPs, IEMs, etc focus pretty much in stock tuning only. To me that's like focusing on paint color in a house you're looking at buying.... I look at potential. Out of the box, no doubt I would've picked the cowon plenue 2 over the hiby r6. But every time I noticed an issue, I can usually tweak the DSP to fix it, just like with the CL2. I couldn't EQ/DSP more detail out of the cowon (I've actually noticed that using MSEB on hiby, you actually can get more detail and expand the soundstage).

With a good DAP, you can tune the CL2 basically however you want.